Friday 13th October 1916

On trains from Albert to Longpre

The original plan had been for the Battalion, having arrived at Buigny L’Abbe the previous evening, to march off for Yvrench at 9am. However, the first of two trains, carrying ‘A’ and ‘B’ Companies, had not arrived at Longpre after the overnight journey until just before 8am. Moreover, the second train, with ‘C’ and ‘D’ Companies and Battalion HQ, was subject to even greater delays and would not finally reach Longpre until 2am on 14^th, more than forty-eight hours after leaving their billets in Albert.

Pte. Percy Hodgson (see 6^th October), who had been severely wounded at Le Sars, died at no.2 General Hospital, Rouen; he was buried at Ste. Marie Cemetery, Le Havre.

Pte. Percy Hodgson

2Lt. Howard Thurston Hodgkinson (see 5^th October) who had left the Battalion a week earlier suffering from phlebitis (inflammation) of the right leg was evacuated to England from Calais to Dover, onboard the hospital ship Cambria. He would be admitted to 2^nd Western General Hospital, Manchester.

Capt. Adrian O’Donnell Pereira (see 12^th October) who had been treated for shellshock, was evacuated from Rouen to Southampton, onboard the hospital ship St. George; on arrival he would be admitted to hospital on the Isle of Wight.

Capt. Adrian O'Donnell Pereira

Pte. James Bradley (18319) (see 27^th September) was evacuated to England from 5^th General Hospital at Rouen onboard the Hospital Ship, Western Australia; he was suffering from ‘trench fever’ and, on arrival in England, would be admitted to Huddersfield War Hospital.

Sgt. Frederick Griggs (see 27^th November 1915), who had been one of Tunstill’s original Company but was now serving with 2DWR, was promoted Acting Company Sergeant Major. However, he reverted to the rank of Sergeant just three days later.

Pte. Herbert Burgess (see 28^th August), serving with 3DWR at North Shields, was posted back to France and would join 2DWR.

William Kirkpatrick, estate foreman of the Malsis Hall estate, on checking the now drained reservoir, discovered the body of Adelaide Benson, who had been missing since 8^th October. She was the sister of Pte. Fred Benson who had been killed in action on 11^th July (see 11^th October).

The same day’s edition of the Craven Herald had reported extensively on the disappearance and a stop press item confirmed news of the discovery of her body. 

COWLING GIRL'S DISAPPEARANCE - PARTIES SEARCH THE MOORS

A young lady, named Adelaide Benson, aged 28, of 199, Keighley Road, Cowling, has disappeared from her home and has been missing since Sunday. It is stated that she had been rather depressed lately, especially since the news of her brother's death in action was received in July.

On Sunday morning she asked her mother to go with her to see some friends at Farnhill. The mother did not feel inclined to go and asked her daughter to call for her companion and take a walk with her. The young lady did not go for her companion, but was seen near the Crag. Search parties on Tuesday were scouring the district. The young lady has rather a fair complexion, and was wearing a white wool wrap round her head and a brown raincoat. Enquiries have been made both at Farnhill and Haworth, where relatives of the girl reside, but without any news being obtained. On Tuesday, although the weather was so extremely wild, ten men from the village scoured the moors and various places in the district, but without result.

Miss Benson was a well respected young lady, and naturally her relatives and friends are most anxious to learn of her whereabouts. For some time she has suffered from insomnia. The police have now the matter in hand.

Up to a late hour last night nothing had been heard of the missing young woman.

STOP PRESS - THE COWLING MYSTERY

Early this morning as the result of dragging operations by the police, the body of Miss Adelaide Benson, the Cowling young lady who has been missing since Sunday last, was found in the reservoir connected with Malsis Hall, near Cowling Crag.

Pte. Fred Benson

The weekly edition of the Craven Herald published an extended extract from the letter home written by Sgt. Norman Roberts (see 1^st October):

SKIPTON SERGEANT WINS THE MILITARY MEDAL

A LIVELY NARRATIVE FROM THE FRONT

Sergeant N. Roberts, son of Mr. Edwin Roberts, of 3 Upper Street, Skipton, has been awarded the Military Medal in recognition of gallant services rendered in the field on Sept. 20^th. On that date five men of his, in charge of a Lewis gun, were buried by a shell. Sergeant Roberts, assisted by Second Lieutenant M.O. Tribe, dug them out in the open under heavy fire. By this act the lives of the men were saved, but had they waited for a lull in the enemy’s shell fire the five men would undoubtedly been lost.

Judging by the following letter which he has written to his father, Sergt. Roberts is evidently a bit of a humourist. He says: “I have been awarded the Military Medal, the ribbon of which the General pinned on my tunic on Friday afternoon. A day or two ago, I, along with a comrade, had a very remarkable excape. A huge shell came over and made a crater on the other side of us. Of course, we were partly buried and what a feeling we had! By the time you receive this I expect we shall have been through ‘the mill’ again, for the ‘heads’ don’t mean to let Fritz rest. I haven’t seen a ‘tank’ yet, but I am sure to do so before long. I have seen plenty of air duels, but most of them were when we came out here at first. On one occasion our men forced one of their machines to descend behind our lines. A few of our chaps made a rush for him (the machine) but Fritz turned on his machine gun and then some more Tommies turned up with rifles and the game of life was over for those two (the two Germans). Now of course they (the Germans) are licked in the air. I reckon most of the pictures you saw were ‘made up’, but a few days ago I saw a camera man out here in the trenches. He ‘took’ some of our Battalion whilst they were carrying bombs up to the line. I am really writing under difficulties as I cannot stand up or sit down in my present abode, and my supply of candles has run out. The weather has been variable of late; one day it rains like …… and the next perhaps the grateful sun comes out and smiles and dries out clothes. A Jack knife is the chief implement used to get the mud off one’s clothes and of course Tommy spends many an hour examining his shirt – probably to find the maker’s name. Fritz is a lazy …. and they look it, most of them. It would never do for parents to see their boys after a day or two in the front line trenches, especially after it has been wet and they have been bumped about a bit. I am glad you are still an optimist, for I think this war will not be won by an assault of arms. We are no doubt licking them, but at what a price! I think the war will go on for another winter”.

The gallant soldier enlisted in September 1914 and went out to France over twelve months ago. He has been slightly wounded on no less than four occasions. Prior to the war he was a member of the West Riding Constabulary, stationed at Hellifield, and previous to joining the police force he was a warpdresser in the employ of Mr. W.R.G. Farey of Skipton.

Mr. Edwin Roberts has another son in the Army. Pte. Duncan Roberts, of the 1^st/6^th West Riding Regiment who is also at the Front.

Sgt. Norman Roberts, MM

There was also news of other current and former members of Tunstill’s Company:

AUSTWICK

Lance Corporal Wilson Pritchard wounded

News has been received by Mr. and Mrs. William Pritchard that their son, Lance Corporal Wilson Pritchard (see 4^th May), has been wounded. He enlisted when he was seventeen years of age in the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, in September 1914, but has since been transferred to the A.C.C. and he was acting as sniper when he was wounded in the left leg by a piece of shell; also suffering from shell shock. He is now in the General Military Hospital, France. Lance Corporal Pritchard went out to France on May 3^rd this year, and is 19 years of age.

EARBY 

Two Earby soldiers are reported missing- Pte. James Moles, since August 18th, and Pte. Percy Wharton (1/5th Duke of Wellington's) since September 3rd.

Percy Wharton was subsequently presumed killed in action on or about 4^th September; he was the younger brother of Pte. Allan Wharton, (see 4^th September).

ADDINGHAM - Wounded

The parents of Ptes. William Dixon (see 6th October) and R. (Reuben) Smith (see 4^th October) have received information that they have been wounded in the last advance, and are in the 9^th General Hospital, Rouen. Both men are in the Duke of Wellington's Regiment. News has also been received that Pte. Edward Hargrave had been wounded a second time, and is in St. Luke's Hospital, Halifax.

Edward Hargrave, 6^th Battalion King’s Own Scottish Borderers, was the younger brother of Pte. Frank Hargrave, who had originally been a member of Tunstill’s Company, but had been transferred to 9DWR, and had himself been wounded in August (see 8^th September).

The same men were also referred to in articles in both the West Yorkshire Pioneer, and the Ilkley Gazette: 

ADDINGHAM SOLDIERS' LETTERS

Pte. R. Wall, writing to Mr. Flint, says:-"Thanks for splendid parcel. For about a week we have been blessed with ideal weather and if it only continues for another month or so there will be a great change in the situation. It is quite evident that the idea is to advance as far as possible before the winter conditions prevail, for, as you know, advancing over heavy ground is practically out of the question. About a week ago I passed R. Smith and W. Dixon. I was not able to have a chat with them, but they looked well."

Ilkley Gazette

Private Edward Hargrave, third son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Hargrave, Stockinger Lane, Addingham, has been wounded for the second time and is now in St. Luke’s Hospital, Halifax.

Mr. and Mrs. W. Dixon of Main Street, Addingham, have received a card from their son, Private William Dixon, informing them that he has been wounded. Private Reuben Smith, who went out in August 1915 and has been through all the big battles, sends a field card to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Smith, Adelaide Terrace, Addingham, informing them that he has been wounded and sent down to the base.

Pte. William Dixon

Pte. Reuben Smith

A payment of 19s. 11d was authorised, being the amount outstanding in pay and allowances to the late Pte. Tom Clarkson (see 5^th July) who had been killed in action on 5^th July. The payment would go to his widow, Grace.